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Four-Season Fun winner: "Lake Superior Summer," by Kristin Larsen of Sault Sainte Marie, taken during a family vacation in the Keweenaw Peninsula. On her family's annual vacation in the Keweenaw Peninsula, she photographed her son William surrounded by rippling blue water and sky. "This was a quiet moment, for both the lake and the boy, that occurred between agate hunting by day and Yooperlite hunting by night." Kristin Larsen

Four-Season Fun People's Choice Award: "Better Than Coffee," by Thomas Bos of White Lake, taken at sunrise at an ice cave at Grand Island National Recreation Area. "The silence was loud that morning," he said, "with the cracking and popping of the ice, water dribbling down the stalactites, a few birds chirping, a light wind periodically whistling, and the crunch of the ice under my feet as I set up my camera." Thomas Bos

Award of Excellence: “Piggies in the Garden,” by Olivia Kinney of Genesee Twp. Kinney sprinkled blossoms on the heads of her two rescued guinea pigs, Azalea and Meadow, as they munched on marigolds. “Meadow, the brown one, came to me in very ill health,” Kinney said. “She is now a plump and happy potato and her favorite things to do are eat and snuggle. When it's veggie time she ‘wheeks’ at the top of her piggy lungs in happiness.” Olivia Kinney

Award of Excellence: "Selfie with the Stars," by Chase Gagnon of Madison Heights. "Walking out into the darkness and seeing the Milky Way arcing over the pier was such an amazing and memorable experience," he said of his 2 a.m. shoot on the Harbor Beach pier. A fisheye lens, a flashlight and a steady hand for a 30-second exposure did the trick. Chase Gagnon

Award of Excellence: "Colt and Goose Converse," by John Fortener of Allen Park. "While birdwatching at Kensington Metropark, I came upon this sandhill crane family with an adopted goose," he said. "I heard of this blended family prior to visiting the park, but this was my first interaction with them. It looks as if the goose is asking the colt, 'What do you want to do next?'"? John Fortener

Four-Season Fun finalists: "Do This With Me, Mom!" by Kota Irie of Novi. The Irie family went to Mill Race Historical Village in Northville last October to take family photos. After finding a nice location, "I asked my younger son Shun to hold a pose as he likes before I took this photo," he said. "He made a pose that he came up with intuitively and requested my wife Rina to do the same pose as him. My wife copied not only his pose but also the expression." Kota Irie

"The Old Barn & Milky Way," by Dale Niesen of South Rockwood. Niesen took this starry shot in the early morning hours at Port Oneida in Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore. "There was a lot of airglow that night, but no auroras." Dale Niesen

"Winter Surfing," by Linda Urban of Sterling Heights. On a February vacation, she stopped at the St. Joseph lighthouse in hopes of photographing ice formations. Instead, "There was no ice on the lighthouse but there were three men surfing in waves that were filled with pancake ice. It was 31 degrees with a wind chill that was bone-chilling." Linda Urban

"Frozen Lake," by Chris Diliberti of Saint Clair. On a February morning in Lexington, "I looked to the left of the break wall and saw all these huge boulders of ice along with frozen Lake Huron," he said. "I actually walked out to one of the boulders and stood on it. It looked and felt like a different planet!" Chris Diliberti

“Beacon of Peace,” by Matthew Koning of West Branch. After a great day of bird watching at Tawas State Park, Konig and his father came back toward the lighthouse. “We noticed the deer grazing in the yard, the lighthouse was getting illuminated perfectly, and there were a few clouds in the sky to make it a sight out of a fairytale book,” he said. “It's amazing how nature and beauty can soothe the soul.” Matthew Koning

"Stormy Fall, Lake Superior," by Devon Kotke of Williamston. This photo was taken on a fall visit to Whitefish Point, one of his favorite spots in Michigan."I'm not sure who placed the rocks on the driftwood, nor am I sure of what freighter that is, but I love how they add to the photo," he said. "I think this photo captures the essence of Michigan, particularly the ruggedness and beauty of Lake Superior." Devon Kotke

"We Have Liftoff!," by Caroline Harris of Petersburg. Shot at the Four Nations Rodeo at the Monroe County Fair in July, "This bull was entirely sassy and even sparred with the rodeo clowns after his rider flew off," she said. "That vertical leap was pretty awesome to see up close in my viewfinder." Caroline Harris

"Love on the Lake," by Margarida Bernardo of Grosse Pointe. Her photography gear was at home, but when she saw this love boat at the end of a procession on Lake St. Clair, "The excitement of the regatta, the sunset and the beautiful reflections on a mirror-like lake were too much to miss, so I grabbed my iPhone and started shooting." Margarida Bernardo

"Heavy Winter Ice," by Rodney Burdick of East China Twp. Coast Guard cutter Bristol Bay breaks a path for an approaching vessel at Mariner Park Pavilion in Marine City. "High water and heavy ice made for some amazing winter scenes along the St. Clair River from Marine City to Harsens Island," Burdick said. Rodney Burdick

"Each holiday season our local camera club travels to the Owosso area to photograph this 1940s era steam locomotive," said Glen Suszko of Shelby Twp. "This picture was taken as The Polar Express ( aka Pere Marquette 1225 ) steamed past the grain elevator in Carland, Michigan. As it rolls by, the sight, sound and feel of this train engine is a breathtaking experience." Glen Suszko

"Tubing on the Lake," by Kellie Holmstrom of Marquette. Holmstrom took her nephew Payton and his friend John tubing on Big Shag Lake in Gwinn. "They had a great time trying to stay on," she said. "This photo catches Payton losing his grip. He came back to the boat smiling." Kellie Holmstrom

"Autumn," by Lakelynn Holsworth of Carsonville. Freckles, the Saint Bernard owned by her boyfriend's mother, "has always been a pretty photogenic dog," she said. "She would just walk over to me and then roll onto her back patiently waiting for scratches. I carefully placed the fall leaves on her stomach and took a few shots; she didn't even move." Lakelynn Holsworth

"Catch a Wave," by Michael Palko of Kingsley. "I captured this photo on December 30th, 2018 in Frankfort," he said. "I knew there were people out surfing, but I didn't know one of them was walking out on the pier while I was trying to catch a wave crashing into the pier. This individual walked into my shot at the perfect time." Michael Palko

"Seas the Day," by Nisha Dubey of Rochester Hills. The Log Slide Overlook at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a frequently photographed scene, but Dubey figured out a way to make it her own. "I tucked my phone on the sand, set it on 10 seconds self-timer mode and ran as far as I could towards the water. Finally, after 10 seconds I got the shot I wanted." Nisha Dubey

Woods and Wildlife winner: "Dancing Blue Jays," by Miguel Denyer of Garden City. "I was at Kensington Metropark photographing songbirds and other wildlife when I noticed the blue jays landing on a particular tree stump, eating seeds and nuts left by other nature watchers." As they battled for domination, "I had to make the necessary adjustments to my shutter speed and ISO settings in order to capture the birds in flight and capture the snow falling also." Miguel Denyer

Woods and Wildlife People's Choice Award: "Double Helix," by Richard Bagdasarian of Wixom. Bagdasarian got up early one morning to capture the feeding great blue herons at Robert Long Park in Commerce Township. "This particular heron was actually facing away from me, but apparently had his eye on a fish to the side," he said. "It took a speedy sideways attempt at breakfast, and the angle (at which) his beak hit the water created the most mesmerizing double-helix shaped splash.” Richard Bagdasarian

"Boys Gathering," by James Timmer of Troy. "The young bucks were trying out their ability against some veterans" in a field in Troy, he said. "It was special to see the fun they were having." James Timmer

"Great Horned Owl and Chicks in Nest," by John Fortener of Allen Park. He was looking for a Great Horned Owl at Island Park in Ann Arbor and found it camouflaged in an old tree stump. Then, "to my surprise, two owlets popped up," he said. "This particular day is one I will not soon forget." John Fortener

"Keyhole," by Cameron Wilcox of Marquette, shot in Bewabic State Park in Iron County. Wilcox shot this woods scene in Bewabic State Park this spring, wanting to "catch those early leaves before they could really unfurl so they were a nice light green color. That area has a lot of nice hardwood forests, so it looks like a storybook. I found that old stump with a hole in it and the sun lined up just right for a photo." Cameron Wilcox

"Adventure," by Rachel Appold of Howell. Simba loves to look for catnip in the backyard. "He slowly crawled around in search for the herb, while munching on long grass along the way," she said. "Simba's face showed that he was in heaven." Rachel Appold

"Early Morning Takeoff," by Charles Gammon of Brighton. "I was standing on a point at Kent Lake and saw two swans land to my right," he said. "To my left (another) swan started swimming toward the two that had just landed and I thought it might fly toward them to chase them off. Sure enough it took off and went across the water right in front of me." Charles Gammon

"Seeking Perfect Water," by Suzette Kandow of Presque Isle. After a light rain shower in June, "Several of these newborn clubtail dragonflies had found their way to the deck," she said. "But this little guy seemed to be searching for something more as he flew onto the fuchsia plant. I went back into the house, grabbed my iPad, and took a couple quick shots. When I checked this one photo, I spotted the droplet of rain water sitting just out of his reach on the fuchsia petal. A clubtail dragonfly had gone seeking the perfect water and with his search, he gave me the perfect gift." Suzette Kandow

“Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Enjoying the Milkweed,” by Jennifer Harte of Northville. "I was searching for monarchs at Heritage Park in Farmington Hills and found this beautiful ruby-throated hummingbird enjoying the milkweed,” she said. It’s no small feat to keep a hummingbird in focus. Jennifer Harte

“Waiting Their Turn,” by Caroline Harris of Petersburg. Her photo of “three of my field-bred English Setters, on stake-out in a clearing off a two-track near Gladwin” looks like it’s straight from an Orvis ad. Caroline Harris

“The Upside Down,” by Emily Bergman of Mount Clemens. Bergman’s photo captures the reflection of the sky and trees in a giant puddle of melting snow and ice last winter, the water creating an impressionistic scene. Emily Bergman

"Hawk Considers a Bath," by Robert Bosch of Grand Rapids Township. "I have a bird feeder, and occasionally a hawk will check out the smaller birds feeding there," he said. "I feel birds in flight represent a rare chance to see the beauty of birds and their behavior. Usually the casual observer misses this beauty because birds are far away, move fast, and often are in dark environments." Robert Bosch

"Has Anyone Seen a Princess?," by Steve Zammit of Sterling Heights. His photography class at Macomb Community College took a field trip to George George Memorial Park in Clinton Twp. "After taking 200 boring pictures of flowers," he said, "I saw this frog stick its head out of the water, and played around with the settings pretending like I knew what I was doing and clicked away." Steve Zammit

People and Places winner: “Sunset Fishing,” by Tyler Chandler of Clarkston. In mid-April, Michigan Tech student Chandler and his roommate Matt Krause “decided that enough ice had melted from Lake Superior that we could get some casts in and hopefully catch some fish.” The fish weren’t biting that day, but “I decided that it might be cool to take a silhouette picture of Matt with the sunset in the back.” Tyler Chandler

People and Places People's Choice Award: "Graduate in Full Bloom," by Camille Biggs of East Lansing. Michigan State computer engineering graduate Frankie Riviera does a celebratory backflip outside of the library on campus. "The photo really depicts the excitement and fervor of the graduation season," she said, "and captures the personality of the graduate." Camille Biggs

People and Places finalists: "Like a Bird," by Tomasx Lacki of Warren. "I always had an idea of taking a picture from the bird's view perspective over Michigan," Lacki said. He planned his aerial shot carefully, crafting a custom-made, ultra-strong selfie stick. Then he got a glider pilot to take him into the skies over central Michigan. "There is nothing like seeing our beautiful state in the total silence of a glider from above." Tomasx Lacki

"Transcending the Snow," by Marybeth Kiczenski of Des Plaines, Illinois. "The RenCen holds a special place in my heart, being a Detroit area native," she said. "I really liked the striking shape of the Transcending sculpture and how it seemed to almost frame the RenCen. So I set up the camera and experimented. Between the flash, and the leftover Christmas lights behind me, it made for an almost sci-fi looking scene." Marybeth Kiczenski

"Final Resting Place," by Gary Molnar of Leonard. An occasional tour guide in Detroit, Molnar was showing three German businessmen the abandoned Packard plant in 2016. "They huddled and spoke German for a moment," he said. "Finally one said in English, 'We didn't know Detroit was bombed.'" Inspired, Molnar later took a photo from the grounds of the adjacent Trinity Lutheran cemetery. "The plant looms in the background as a towering tomb that has joined those mortals resting in front of it." he said. Gary Molnar

"Dog Friendly Parks," by Stephen Hughes of Kalamazoo. In a scene familiar to most Michigan residents, a girl and her pup walk down a sandy path to the beach at Port Crescent State Park in Port Austin. Stephen Hughes

"Perfect Synchrony," by Mark Smith of Northville. The playfully titled photo shows 15 little ballerinas, including his granddaughter, each doing her own thing during a West Michigan Dance Company recital in Plainwell, Michigan. "The group was forming a pyramid of sorts," he explained. "To be fair to the girls, I took this photo before they had completely found their spot and position." Mark Smith

"Whiting Forest Canopy Walk," by Cathy Bragiel of Pinconning. Midland's new tourist attraction takes visitors on a quarter-mile-long elevated route through the trees. When Bragiel got to the narrow rope bridge, "I used a wide-angle lens and got real close to take the shot," she said. The result is a photo of dramatic angles that makes you think twice about crossing. In fact, she said,
"I still haven't walked across the bridge yet." Cathy Bragiel

"Fountain of Youth," by Peter Brown of Benton Harbor. Brown stopped by the Whirlpool Compass Fountain in St. Joseph and decided to stick around until sunset. "I saw the kids playing and figured it would be an interesting shot with them running through the water," he said. "I was happy to stay dry!" Peter Brown

"High Note," by Gary Molnar of Leonard. Band leader Gary Greenfelder performs a solo at Studio 54 in Sterling Heights. "I thought the sound of hearing big bands perform live had evaporated by the end of the 1950s," Molnar said. "A few years ago I discovered this local 17-piece big band." Gary Molnar

"Forever Love," by Judi Moore of Warren. "My mom Judy Moore had been very ill and on dialysis and wanted to hold the baby so bad, but health kept her only enjoying him from afar," she said. "When she finally felt well enough to hold and hug her great-grandson, Oliver Civiello, capturing this was truly priceless for all of us. There's nothing better than the pure true love pictured here." Judi Moore

Ellie Giordano, 14, gets a little help from teammates Kaleb Weaver and Ben Peterson to reach the top of the 13-foot sloped wall at the 2018 Tough Mudder event in Oxford. Mom Erica Giordano calls her photo "Teamwork." "We had heard that Tough Mudder is all about team spirit and the ability to conquer challenges with the help of friends, and wanted to give it a shot," she said. "What a rush!" Erica Giordano

"Milford Mill Pond," by Chris Bemis of Milford. Bemis was driving by the Upper Mill Pond in Milford the morning after the last snowfall last year. "It was a heavy, wet snow that clung to everything," he said. "I knew it wouldn't last long due to the bright sun and rising temperature." He hurriedly snapped the cool scene with his iPhone 8. The colors are true, "No filters!" he stressed. Chris Bemis

“Pure Joy in Bellaire, MI,” by Michele Murray of Bellaire. “My two-year-old son Declan loves being outdoors, especially while visiting his grandparents in Bellaire,” she said. When grandpa puts him in his wood-hauling sled, “Declan loves looking up at the trees while he rides!” Michele Murray

"Last Light," by Jerry Smith of Byron. "I have been to Grand Haven a few times to photograph the lighthouse," Byron said,
"but it occurred to me that a setting sun with the yellow glow being the light in the lighthouse would make an interesting image, so as the sun arced its way down, I kept moving on the beach until the moment was just right!" Jerry Smith

Surfing Lake Michigan isn’t uncommon in the summer, but on Dec. 30? Only for the intrepid.

I knew there were people out surfing,“ said Michael Palko of Kingsley, who was in Frankfort on Dec. 30, 2018, “but I didn't know one of them was walking out on the pier while I was trying to catch a wave crashing into the pier. This individual walked into my shot at the perfect time.”

The window for entries remains open until noon Friday, Aug. 16. Share your photos of fun activities and beautiful scenes from any of Michigan's four seasons at https://apps.detroitnews.com/submitphotos for a chance to win a prize.

This week’s other finalists are:

“Autumn,” by Lakelynn Holsworth of Carsonville. Freckles, the Saint Bernard owned by her boyfriend’s mother, “has always been a pretty photogenic dog,” she said. “She would just walk over to me and then roll onto her back patiently waiting for scratches. I carefully placed the fall leaves on her stomach and took a few shots; she didn’t even move.”

“Seas the Day,” by Nisha Dubey of Rochester Hills. The Log Slide Overlook at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a frequently photographed scene, but Dubey figured out a way to make it her own. “I tucked my phone on the sand, set it on 10 seconds self-timer mode and ran as far as I could towards the water. Finally, after 10 seconds I got the shot I wanted.”

“Tubing on the Lake,” by Kellie Holmstrom of Marquette. Holmstrom took her nephew Payton and his friend John tubing on Big Shag Lake in Gwinn. “They had a great time trying to stay on,” she said. “This photo catches Payton losing his grip. He came back to the boat smiling.”

Each week, the Detroit News photo staff judges will select four finalists. At the end of the contest, two $300 prizes will be awarded. The Four-Season Fun winner will be selected by the Detroit News photo staff, and the People’s Choice Award winner will be chosen by an online public vote, August 21-25.